Celebrating the new school year...

We decided to celebrate our new school year today so that Daddy (aka... The Principal) could be with us. Why have we not thought of this before? Who says you can't celebrate school on a Sunday?

Cupcake ~ Toddlergarten

BigBoy ~ 3rd grade

 Shortcake ~ 6th grade

 Sunshine ~ 7th grade

The Professor ~ Freshman

We started with a photo shoot followed by Mass and then went out to breakfast at a place of the kids' choosing (La Madeleine!).

I made goodie bags for everyone instead of Schultütes. I haven't embraced the Schultüte tradition. I think it's because I can't pronounce it. : )

Since we've been "back-to-school" for a while now, my kids already have their supplies and have been using them so for their goodie bags, I added some fun snack bags that we never buy, colorful pens (instead of the plain old blue and black they already had), some stickers to decorate notebooks and journals, and some silly stuff like these photo props for our not-so official photos.

Even Cupcake had a bag of graham cracker treats and a new little toothbrush since that's the extent of what she needs to learn these days.

Of course, I included some of Jessica's patron saint of students treats. They are so simple and fun especially since Jessica provides a ready made template for you! All I had to do was cut, tape and glue.

And because I love the prayer Jessica posted, 

here is my favorite prayer for my children (courtesy of Melanie B.)

O God the Father of mankind, who hast given us these our children, and committed them to our charge to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for eternal life: help us with Thy heavenly grace, that we may be able to fulfill this most sacred duty and stewardship. Teach us both, what to give and what to withhold; when to reprove and when to forbear; make us to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver us equally from the weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by word and by example, we may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen.

And this one that I recently found for our godchildren...

O Lord Jesus Christ, You embrace children with the arms of Your mercy, and make them living members of Your Church; Give grace, we pray You, to our Godchildren to stand fast in Your faith, to obey Your word, and to abide in Your love; that, being made strong by Your Holy Spirit they may resist temptation, and may rejoice in the life that now is, and dwell with You in the life to come; through Your merits, O merciful Savior, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen